Amreli | Hotel Diplomat

Vegetarian Food Spread - Amreli
Vegetarian Food Spread – Amreli

An eclectic mix of a London Diner and a Classic Bistro, Amreli offers a unique perky dining experience with an equally interesting mix of cuisines.

I love Indian food and these days I am obsessed with it! Even after the delightful meal by Leaping Caravan, I was still lusting for more Kebabs and Curries.

Although like most Food Bloggers, don’t like Indian Food at restaurants, especially in Delhi, where you will find Daal Makhni and Butter Chicken on every next menu. However, there’s so much one can eat and explore in Indian Cuisine, that you’re always learning something new about it, by discovering new dishes. For doing so, you just got to find the right places to visit.

And that’s when Gurjas and I found ourselves at the beautiful Amreli at Hotel Diplomat.

The serene place has exquisite interiors, while the open-air seating is equally beautiful. Sidhant Lamba, the owner, has designed the restaurant with various collectibles, gathered from all over the world. The perky place is an unorthodox mix of a London Diner and a Classic Bistro. The mix and match of the artworks or even furniture, adds a unique touch to the place.

And just like the décor, their menu is a potpourri of North Indian delicacies, Coastal Indian Food and Pan-Asian dishes. It may sound a bit bizarre, but thankfully it works.

We were served small portions of various Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian dishes.

For starters (for real) I loved the kebab platters. It was a mix of vegetarian and meaty delights, namely Tandoori Aloo Bravas, Paneer Tikka, Tandoori Mushroom, Tandoori Chicken Tikka, Masala Fish Tikka (Sole), Chicken and Mutton Seekhs.

I absolutely loved Tandoori Aloo Bravas. The smokey flavour of pepper, tomatoes and garlic in bravas sauce, beautifully complimented the Indian style tandoori aloo covered in masala. Masala Fish Tikka was the highlight from the Non-Vegetarian platter, the fish had a spicy masala flavour, which thankfully did not over power the taste of the fish. Tender and fresh, I can easily eat an entire plate of this. All the other kebabs were supremely delicious, the only exception being the seekh kebabs, which were dry and chewy.

Onto the main course, the vegetarian plate of main course looked surprisingly very appetizing. Bombay Daal Tadka, Amreli Kali Daal, Aloo Gobhi Broccoli, Paneer Tikka Lababdar and Heeng Aloo Jeera adorned the plate. This was that rare day, when despite having Mutton and Chicken right in front of me, I gorged on Paneer. Paneer Tikka Lababdar was simply out of the world! Soft Paneer pieces in a delectable gravy composed of onions, tomatoes and spices like Garam Masala, methi (fenugreek) and dhaniya, made this quintessential North Indian dish, a winner.

I also enjoyed Amreli Kali Daal and Aloo Gobhi Broccoli, a unique version on our regular Aloo Gobhi.

Amongst the Non-Vegetarian dishes, the Bhuna Mutton’s gravy tasted luscious. It had a complex mix of spices (garam masala, cumin and turmeric) and herbs (coriander), cooked along with onions, tomatoes and dried chillis. However, the mutton felt undercooked, as it was hard to chew – bit of a disappointment.

Nevertheless, the Burnt Garlic Raita and the Biryani were simply outstanding! The Raita was Awadhi in flavour, with a slight taste of pepper and salt, with the punch of burnt garlic. This style of Raita is usually served with Lucknowi Biryani. This reminded me of my meal at The Great Kebab factory.

After indulging in the heavy creamy flavours of North, we moved onto Coastal food from Southern India. Although I was already a bit full, with Kerala Mutton Stew, Sole Meen Moilee, Egg Appam, Red Coconut Chutney and Appam in front of me, I could hardly contain my excitement. The food looked so pretty! And the subtle flavours of the stew and sole meen moilee were delightful. The Sole Meen Moilee had been cooked in a coconut curry with green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric. It was a certain treat to my taste buds. Usually made with fleshy fish like Pomfret or Kingfish, I was pleased to see that the fish had just been simmered for seconds, before adding it to the curry.

Amreli is renowned for its appams, and quite deservingly so. Pair the soft egg appam, with the tasty stew or may be the fish, as I did. Another option is the simple, yet amazing Red Coconut Chutney (made with coconut chutney, red chilies, ginger and turmeric).

Egg Appam - Amreli
Egg Appam – Amreli

It had been an onslaught of food. So, we just sat for a while, lazily gazing at the beautiful environs of the place.

However, our food extravaganza wasn’t over yet. We had a Death By Chocolate in the offing. Normally, I don’t enjoy chocolate as much, but this boozy dessert was intoxicating. I couldn’t get my hands off it, until it was finished. This soft, gooey, moist, dark, dessert with the punch of liquor is just what you need when looking for happiness in this world. Despite the unimaginative presentation and the ugly glazed cherry on top, it was heaven personified!

However, if they serve Tiramisu, run to the other side of the room. It’s simply awful!

The hospitality needs a special mention. I was mighty impressed with the staff members, who were amicable and well-versed with the menu. Clearly, Chef Amit, has done a remarkable job with his crew. Meeting him was actually one of the highlights of the meal, as we had a lot to talk about – like the food in Lucknow (he’s from Lucknow) and working in commercial kitchens.

It was almost late evening when we left. Clearly, we had enjoyed our lavish lunch, at this casual yet sophisticated eatery, because we had, by all means, lost track of time.


In a nutshell:

Location: Bang on S.P Marg, Amreli is easy to locate and access. Valet parking is another positive.

Atmosphere: Casual yet sophisticated, Amreli is an eclectic mix of modern and classic with a beautiful al fresco seating.

Service: The staff members are amicable and well-versed with the menu. Expect speedy service and warm hospitality.

Food: The house of delicious coastal food, Amreli can also be enjoyed for its share of North Indian Food.

Must Haves:  Egg Appam and Sole Meen Moilee, Paneer Lababdar, Biryani – Raita, Death By Chocolate

Amreli Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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